


Shepard of the Lost: Gathering an Army

by SNEKInk



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Adopted Children, Epilogue, Gen, Original Character Death(s), Papa Shepard, Spoilers, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-12
Updated: 2017-09-02
Packaged: 2018-10-31 02:29:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 17,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10889793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SNEKInk/pseuds/SNEKInk
Summary: There wasn't a chance that Commander John Shepard would survive, but then again... he's done it before so he shouldn't be too surprised. At the hands of yet another genius, he's brought back from the brink and offered a chance at living a life without the fate of the galaxy on his shoulders. So what's a man to do with all this free time? He certainly didn't expect that he'd be back on the 'saving people' track.





	1. 000|Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Intomniac](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Intomniac/gifts).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shepard was lost after the war, or so everyone thought until the same man woke up in the lab of a human woman who... would make a great mad scientist character.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to Shepard of the Lost. There will be divergences from what we know about the universe that is Mass Effect but I shall try to make it seem as familiar as possible. Take a seat and enjoy the story. If you see any grammar or spelling errors, please let me know.

There had been three choices at the end, three possible outcomes of the war. There had been a time when he would have contemplated between the three, seeing the possibilities of each one with a certain optimism. For example:

Control. The Positives were that he would be in instantaneous control of the old machines, and could make them pull back instantly from their attacks on the galaxy. The Negatives revolved around the possibility that he would end up like the Illusive man, completely controlled by the reapers yet believing he was doing the right thing - even if he pulled them away from their harvest, he might end up leading them right back into it.

Synthesis. The Positives ranged from a new understanding shared between both synthetics and organics to full cooperation from the Reapers without Shepard needing to fully take over whatever form of Artificial Intelligence the old machines contained. The Negatives were that this was all an indoctrination plot from the catalyst - the translucent AI that was waiting for him to make a choice - and a possibility that they had planned from the very beginning when he’d talked to Sovereign. 

Destruction. The Positives revolved around getting rid of the old machines, completely annihilating them like he had with the geth heretics. The negative was the loss of a friend, and of a synthetic race he’d spent an awful lot of time trying to save. There was also the fact that the Reapers could have backups - if they didn’t, they were a sorry excuse for a synthetic race.

Now however, as he stared down at the catalyst, his body hurting in every place imaginable - and a few not so much - he couldn’t even see a reason to contemplate the first two. The Old Machines were dragging every race in the known galaxy into a war - and had been doing so for millions of years. They’d annihilated several species merely because it was in their programming. 

How many AI’s no longer did what their original programming entailed? How many synthetics had he seen that had derailed themselves from their original purpose as they learned of the galaxy and the people within? The Old Machines had been around long enough to at least begin seeing things on their own, evolve from what they are and adapt. The only thing that let the enemy survive so long was whatever they had for armor and their sheer numbers - it was like facing a fleet of dreadnoughts with impenetrable armor with only a few weak points - and the fact that they had mind control.

They called the people of this cycle primitive and yet they created better artificial life than the Leviathans of the original species. 

If you can’t teach old dog new tricks without sacrificing a limb to make them see again, then it was time to put them down. Shepard ignored the catalyst as it rambled on and turned toward the final pillar. He limped toward it, lifting his gun with an arm that wasn’t all there and started laying bullets into the pillar until it shattered. 

For a moment, the galaxy stood still in Shepard's eyes as his life, and the sacrifices the war had cost, past before him. The Citadel was shattering in waves of red light that hadn’t reached him yet, pulses of heat that were barely there. He gave a sigh of relief as peace passed over him a moment before death.

* * *

 

Smell was the first thing he noticed. The smell of burning metal and cooked flesh. The pain that followed came from wrinkling his own nose was the second sense to return - his nerves fried from the explosion and the fall but not enough to numb or dull the pain.

The shiver of pain jolted through his body, causing everything else to respond in return.

That pain woke him with a start as he realized he was still alive, still aware and not spaced as he thought he would be. His eyes snapped open only to shut tightly as a beam of light fell on damaged eyes. His ears were not working, the sounds around him going unheard - more damage done from his sacrifice. Touch was painful, anything against his charred skin was causing more pain. When he squinted his eyes open to avoid the pain but to see, he was met only with a blurry mess of colors. He couldn’t feel his tongue, couldn’t taste the air. Perhaps that smell was him, it certainly seemed like it when he took stock of how he felt.

He laid there for hours, assessing whatever he could since he couldn’t seem to sleep even with the sensory shock. He couldn’t feel passed his skin and he couldn’t hear.

The sudden shock of someone or something grasping his arm through the debris caused a painful shout to escape from his throat, the vibrations causing more pain in his skin and below. The hand left instantly, only to return a moment later.

They were trying to tug him out of wherever he was. He couldn’t stop screaming at the pain. When the hand left again, he sighed in relief. He opened his damaged eyes, wincing as they were met with the sun. He could barely see anything, just blurry colors of grey and black.

Debris from the Citadel? Perhaps. He blinked once, then twice before closing his eyes again.

The metal above him shifted. Another scream escaped, hoarse as it felt, as the metal was moved off of his legs and arms. His eyes opened partially, looking up from the ground at the black of the sky above before he passed out on the hard ground hoping for the end that hadn’t come.

* * *

 

“He shouldn’t be awake. He’s not repaired yet,” a woman’s voice came as he drifted from unconsciousness, his senses dull and confused. His brows furrowed as he tried to reach for a sense of touch or smell, but nothing came.

Why was he having a sense of Deja Vu?

“Another dose. Put him back under,” there was a numbing sensation being pushed into his veins, spreading out from a single point on his arm and consuming everything until it took him back under and away from the living world.

* * *

 

His eyes wouldn’t open, even as he drifted out of a drugged sleep. He felt numb, high on whatever was in his system. He could smell the sterile atmosphere, a lack of burning flesh giving him a sense of relief even if he couldn’t quite remember why for the moment.

Two voices reached his ears, an argument between the woman's voice and another male voice in whatever room he occupied. 

“No one’s tried looking for anyone that looks like this one, Gary. He’s better here, besides, we’ve put a lot of work into him already,” the woman’s voice from before said as if distracted, focusing on two things at once.

“Mother, we both know he’s a soldier. Should he not be in a military hospital, where they can identify him instead of your laboratory?” the second was young and male, easily identified as human.

“And let them ruin my work? I think not. I put you back together after Torfan, Gary, and I didn’t hand you back to the Alliance,” the sound of heels against hard flooring met his ears as the woman crossed the room. 

“First, that was a single limb that you sewed on. You’ve been doing things like that for years on more than just soldiers. Second, I went back to the Alliance anyways. Third, we’re not being paid to restore this man, nor do I think he’ll be able to afford it. Why do you want to keep him around anyways? What’s so good about him that you feel like you need to keep working on him?”

“Because no one’s looking for him. Gary, I’m putting him back together, but I’m also enhancing him, rebuilding him from the ground up. It’s an experience I haven’t had before, and the very reason I started in field I did. To bring someone back from the edge. I can do charity cases to, you know.” These was a pause before she continued, “besides, his eyes are so much like the ocean.”

“And there’s the real reason he’s still here…” there was a sigh before the sound of giggles escaped the woman. He heard the hiss of the door opening and the heels of the woman's shoes as she left before the softer steps of the male's shoes approached him. “If you can hear me. I’m sorry. You won’t be like you were before, but you’ll be alive. I know you don’t have much of a choice, but thank you for allowing my mother this opportunity. She’s wanted it for a long time, and never found the perfect subject. I guess the Reaper war finally gave us something.”

There was silence for a few moments before the sound of the shoes signaled the male leaving him. He fell back into his coma a moment later, succumbing to the drugs in his system once more.

* * *

 

There was a dull throb in his muscles the next he woke. Under his fingers he could feel the cold hardness of an examination table. He felt as if he’d ran a marathon and forgotten to stretch afterwards. 

Not something he expected if he’d been on that particular table the whole time. But it was something to expect if he had synthetic muscles.

“They’re the geth, my dear. You’d expect them to have a backup somewhere. It just takes someone turning on the switch,” the Geth were back on? That was a relief, although he hoped they still remembered what he had done for them. Would they still be playing nice? “I need 30 CC’s dear.”

“After all that infighting with the Quarians and then the attacking Geth allied with the Reapers, you wouldn’t expect anyone wanting to turn those things back on,” the male said. He could hear the footsteps, perhaps handing the woman whatever she had asked for.

“Shepard brokered peace between Quarians and Geth, and got rid of their ‘Heretics’. The Geth were supposed to assist the Quarians in getting used to their homeworld again, so it was probably one of them. I am however surprised it took them three years to turn them back on. Quarian’s are usually tech savvy,” something was being flushed into his veins as the conversation continued. His fingers twitched at the rush of liquid. 

Three years? Had he been lying here, where ever it was, for that long?

“I’d say they’re only human, but perhaps the Geth hid their reset away? They were at war after all,” the male said as he crossed the room again. “That pilot from Shepard’s squad, Joker, did the same thing with the Normandy’s AI. Not sure if the Alliance and the Council were happy about that or not. AI’s still aren’t quite legal, and his team got a lot of shit for having it.”

“She was kept around though. She was one of the only possible beings left that was able to reprogram the Mass Relays when they were back up, along with the Citadel. Took two years to find anyone who could do such a thing, perhaps they’ll look at AI’s a little more leniently,” the woman said as her heels clacked, leading her away from Shepard.

“Or maybe it’ll make them crack down a little harder. Having synthetics smarter than organics could be a serious problem,” the male stated, and Shepard’s table shifted a little bit. The man was leaning against it, watching his mother work.

“It’s only a matter of time before the network’s restored. All those panicked Aliens will be able to go on like the Reaper war never happened.”

“Hopefully they remember what happened though,” there was silence for a moment, and Shepard wondered who they lost during the war. “I give it two or three years though. While it’s more necessary to have the communications between planets, people are still desperate to find displaced family members and friends.”

“Which would be easier with the relay network up and running,” the mother replied. “I need an amp port, hers is fried. Records say she’s an L4.”

“Got it, I’ll look on the market,” there was silence for a few moments before the male spoke again. “Keep concentrating on all the other projects and we’ll never finish this guy.”

“Yes, well. I did say he was a charity case.”

“And a damned experiment. The tables have a weight limit you know. They won’t support anything heavier than a Krogan.” There was a giggle from the woman as Shepard felt his mind stutter at the thought. How the hell was he heavier than a Krogan?

“He isn’t quite there yet. Plus, I’ll be swapping out pieces for their light weight counterparts as soon as they come in. He may not weigh as much as a Krogan, but he’ll pack one hell of a punch in comparison.” There was a pause of silence for a moment before a sigh came from the male.

“We don’t need a super soldier  _ now  _ mother,” the male replied to which he received a cackle from the woman. 

“There’s always room for super soldiers sweetie. Now get me that amp.”

* * *

 

He awoke fully aware of the world around him this time. He opened his eyes slowly, taking in the hard packed ceiling in stripes of grey, white, and orange. His brows furrowed at the color mix as he took in the sensation from his limbs. He could wiggle his fingers and toes without just reacting to something for once.

There was shuffling coming from outside the bulkhead door, but no movement on the inside of the room that he realized was closed on all sides, not a window in sight. He raised his hand and looked at it as he tried closing his fingers. Everything felt stiff, a sign that he’d been laying there too long, and yet his muscles still felt strong. He clenched and unclenched his fist, eyeing the needles that were still attached to his arm. That wasn’t something to mess with, not when he wasn’t sure if what they were pumping into him was keeping him alive at the moment.

He turned his head to the side, taking in the room and spying the other occupants that were out cold and hooked to their own IV’s. This place wasn’t a hospital, it looked more like someone’s personal lab than anything else and yet there were several operating tables in the single room along with what looked like millions of credits worth of machinery. He sat up slowly, his head turning this way and that in curiosity. 

He suspected that they’d been piecing a lot of people together lately, from the conversations he remembered. The two here were just their latest subjects that needed to be repaired. 

This had to be expensive. Operations like this could be billions of credits depended on the amount of damage. He hadn’t been in very good shape himself, and they’d been doing upgrades and enhancements to him. As a ‘charity case’ or as the woman's own personal experiment. 

These people were probably very well off for their work.

The problem was, he hadn’t heard of any operations like this one other than what Cerberus had done to him and Kai Leng. Granted, he hadn’t had a whole lot of time to look for anything like this, but he was sure it would have shown up somewhere. He’d thought they’d been the only one able to do such things, and yet here was a woman and her son doing the exact same thing.

The door opened and interrupted his thoughts as the sound of heels stepped through. He turned his head and spotted a short petite woman with smooth pale skin and amused grey eyes and short almost white hair set into curls around her heart shaped face. She had experience in her eyes, a lot, but her skin didn’t reflect it. She smiled as she noticed him awake.

“Such pretty blue eyes,” were her first comment, met by a sigh from the person beside her. “Welcome back to the land of the living, dearie.” He blinked at her before looking to the male, her son.

He was tall with pale blonde hair and brown eyes. He was a handsome man, older than Shepard was by the looks. Where his mother was ageless, the male was young but looked like he was ageing nicely. He was all broad shoulders and muscles with a kind yet experienced looking face. His father must have been a tall man, because next to his mother he looked like a giant.

“Glad to see you’re awake, soldier,” the male said and Shepard nodded in reply before looking around. 

“You’re in my lab,” the woman stated as she walked past him, checking the machine that was recording his vitals. “We pulled you out of the debris after the soldiers left ground zero. You’d been in there for a few days, but you were still alive if unconscious. Imagine my surprise when I found out that you already had a few top grade synthetics in you. Some of them had to be taken out, as they were impeding natural healing, but they were replaced with other enhancements of course,” she said with a grin. “You were such a lovely subject, and still will be if you stay here for a time. You’ve got quite a bit in you currently. However, there is quite more I wish to do, and it will take a while for everything to heal. So you’re stuck with me a little while longer dearie,” she turned away from him after she was done with his vitals and made her way to the other two patients. 

Shepard should probably feel grateful that he ended up as her experiment, as it had kept him alive. However, he wasn’t quite sure, as it felt like he was once again being rebuilt for a reason beyond his control. He remembered the comment about him being as heavy as a Krogan with all the things she’d put in him, he was glad to say he didn’t actually feel that heavy at the moment. 

He lifted his hand once more and stared at it. Clenching and unclenching it before his attention was taken by the son of the pair who stood silently, waiting for the others attention. When finally Shepard lifted his head to look at the other, the man spoke. 

“Mother… is an oddity. You’ve been on her operating table for almost five years now, and she’s still got more planned. I apologize for that,” the male said in a deep voice that belied years of service to the Alliance. “She was ecstatic when she realized you’d been aware a few times. It meant she wouldn’t have to do anything to your mind, would keep you as you instead of needing neuro surgery that could completely change your mind and personality. She does not however know who you were before, thus it wouldn’t have done much.”

Shepard was silent as he listened to the other talk. He was describing what would be different - stronger muscles, better reflexes, better biotics - the list went on. Super soldier indeed. 

“I need to do some quick tests now that you’re awake,” the man said after he had finished giving him the list of enhancements. “First, can you speak?”

Shepard blinked and then opened his mouth, trying out his first word in five years.

“Y-yes…” he said, though it was soft and hoarse. The other nodded, checking off something on the tablet that had appeared in his hand. The man turned around and went out the door, only to return a few minutes later with a glass of water. Shepard drank it, grateful to clear what felt like dust that had settled in his throat. “Thank you,” it was a bit less husky, and a lot easier to say.

“You’re welcome. Now, follow my finger,” there were several test he went through, from reflexes to hearing and speaking. When they finally finished, the man left the room and didn’t come back.

“I expected a bit more shock at the loss of time, dearie,” Shepard blinked and looked to the woman who seemed finished with the others and was now leaning against the table opposite him.

“Not… I am but I’m not…” he said as he lowered his eyes to the floor. “I’ve been through the loss of years before.”

“Oh really?” she questioned with a tilt of her head.

“Yeah. Cerberus rebuilt me. They needed me.” The woman eyed him as the door opened to let the male in once more. He went and stood next to his mother, who took the tablet he offered and started reading through it. He then turned to Shepard and introduced himself.

“I’m Gary Sterling, ex-alliance. I’m a bioscientist and medical professional, along with a biotics specialist. My mother here is Brenda Sterling, she’s also ex-alliance. She’s a bioscientist and medical professional, but she also specializes in reconstructive surgery and synthetics. It’s how she got into rebuilding people,” the man stated, looking over at his mother who had taken a seat at the small desk in the back and was typing up something on the computer there. “She puts people back together. I’m just her assistant, but I help where I can. It pays rather well.”

“I thought Cerberus were the only people who had the funding or ability to do so,” Shepard said as he watched the woman work.

“Not everyone wants to support the terrorist group, especially not after their actions during the Reaper War. They may have rebuilt Commander Shepard, saving the galaxy at least once in the process, but siding with them was…” Gary shook his head before looking at his mother’s pet project once more. “We never did find your tags. What’s your name?”

“Commander Shepard, or John Shepard now. I’m sure my ranks been laid to rest after all these years,” he replied, running a hand through hair that was quite a bit longer than his buzz cut. It reached his shoulders, which was odd.

“Wow. Well, after you healed we thought you looked a bit like him. Actually being him is another thing,” the man stated before looking over at his mother. “Hey mom, did you know you’ve been working on  _ the  _ Commander Shepard?”

“Wouldn’t surprise me sweetheart. He looked like him to begin with. That landscape of synthetics should have tipped us off. Can you put 5 CC’s of magnesium into subject one? Her system needs to restart properly,” the woman said from where she sat, still typing rapidly at her console. The man moved to do as asked before going back to his position near Shepard.

“Mother’s rarely surprised about anything. Not sure how she connects the dots in her head, but she has been called Genius before and for good reason.”

“Or perhaps just observant,” Brenda replied as she pulled away from the console and walked back over to them. “Thank you for saving the galaxy by the way. Not sure how we would have survived if the war had gone on any longer. You’re going to need a new identity if you don’t want to face the music from the Council or the Alliance. As for your face, there’s plenty of people that look like you already, and it has been five years, so you shouldn’t have too many problems with people pointing you out.”

“People who look like me?” Shepard asked. He knew he was a handsome looking guy from what people said over the years, but wasn’t wanting to look like him a bit over the top?

“Well yeah, you’re famous,” Gary said as he leaned back in a chair he’d brought over. “First was Akuze, then the Citadel, the Collectors, and finally the Reapers. You’re not just a hero, you’re a legend. Your face has been used in more scams than I care to look up both during and after the war. In fact, a year after the Reaper war was probably the biggest of them all.” Shepard tilted his head in curiosity at that. “It was the first case of reconstructive surgery to look like you. He went to an underground surgeon and paid billions to change his face. He taught himself to act like you in as many ways as possible, and then used your name. He went to the Alliance where they made this big stink out of you being back. They checked everything, from DNA to fingerprints and synthetic implants. They were an exact match. They promoted him instantly to Admiral and rewarded him several service medals. The council reinstated spectre status and he received quite a few commendations and a lot of compensation for his deeds - which he accepted. He was very good at acting like you, and would have succeeded if your squad never found him.”

“Found him? I though he acted exactly like me,” Shepard said as he laid back on the table.

“He did, outside of his apartment - which I heard was Admiral Anderson’s at one point. They still had free access, and the man never thought to check. Apparently he was cackling like a mad man while watching vids and talking to himself right in front of Kasumi Goto-”

“Cloaked I assume,” Shepard interrupted to which Gary nodded.

“Yeah, she recorded everything and sent it to the Spectre’s office. Everything was revoked. Most people learned from that, though there are still a few that pop up every once in awhile trying to claim that they’re you.”

“They’re all weary, which means you’ll be able to slip under the radar easily if you want to remain undetected,” Brenda stated as she crossed her arms and cocked her hip. “If you had any dreams like having a family or traveling the known galaxy without dealing with war time politics, you’ve got a chance now. No Council putting off your warnings, no alliance riding your ass, no galaxy depending on you. Just a thought, but perhaps you could have a normal life for once?” She had a good idea there. He had been tired of the politics during the war, the lack of relaxation and freedom to do what he wanted. He’d been questioning his own moral standards by the end of it.

He’d need to think about that a little bit longer and he said so.

“You have all the time in the world to think about it dearie. I’m not ready to let my pet project go anyways,” the woman stated with a big grin. “You already had the reputation of a legend, might as well make you legend ey?”

* * *

 

Waking up and feeling powerful was one thing, but feeling as overpowered as he did was a reality check he wasn’t sure he needed. Shepard wasn’t quite sure what to think of all the synthetics and enhancements Brenda was filling his body with. There was a thought that he wasn’t as organic as he should be.

Not that it mattered when he’d died twice within two years. 

He ran his hand over his face as he sat up.

“If you’re wondering, yes you still have some organics in you,” Gary stated as he brought Shepard a glass of water. “Mother works with initial material in order to make sure the body will accept it. She’s been very careful with you,” he took a seat beside him on the table. “She might be done for now. Though of course she’s going to be looking after you for years to come.”

“Yeah, well. I am a heavy investment,” he said and immediately thought of Cerberus.

“Oh no, that’s part of the reason, but not really. She’s been working on you for seven years now, Shepard. She wants to make sure you stay alive. You’ve basically become part of the family,” Shepard didn’t reply as his eyes went to the ground. The male stood up and left the room in silence. There were noises coming from the machines, new bodies lying on the tables waiting to be saved by Brenda. He needed to remember that she didn’t want to use him for anything superficial, he wasn’t an investment meant to follow orders and save the galaxy again. His eyes lifted as he heard the hiss of the door and clack of heels across the tile. 

“Awake? Stand up and let me take a look,” Shepard did as told, letting the sheet fall. There was no embarrassment, as the woman had seen him naked several times when handling his cybernetic implants. “Your scars have healed nicely, no seams visible. That’s good,” she said as she walked around him. “No negative reactions so far to the implants of the medications. No deterioration of skin weaves or synthetic fibers,” she leaned against the table opposite his own and grinned up at him. “Alright John, looks like you’re good to go. I want you to stick around a bit so I can keep an eye on you after the latest implants. How far are you on your new identity?”

“I’m almost finished with it Brenda,” he said in reply as he pulled on the pants that were sitting on the opposite table. She nodded with a gentle smile. 

“Good. Do you have any idea where you’re going first?” she questioned as they walked out the door. They went to the first apartment on the left, which she had given him after he’d woken up two years ago. He’d been slow on the new identity, not really sure what he wanted to give himself. But now he’d need to move a little faster if he wanted to head out any time soon. She left him at the door to the room, leaving him to his privacy as she returned to her work in the lab. 

He opened the door to the usual sight - a small kitchenette followed by stairs to the lower floor where his bed and seating area were. It reminded him of the layout of the captain's cabin on the normandy, except it was a lot more open. 

He moved to the window near the kitchenette, tapping at it and bringing up a large screen that took up the whole wall. He stepped back and looked it over, eyeing the details he’d put into his new profile.

Tech changed over the years he’d been out of it - not enough to be confusing but enough to be different. Omni-tools were still in use, but far more compact and a lot more useful. AI’s were still restricted, but more people made use of them as they could not be downloaded to one’s personal tech - whether that was omni-tool or imbedded chip. There were more powerful amps that made detailed work easier without the practice. The Mass Relays were more precise and efficient thanks to the work of an AI. It seemed synthetics were making things easier for people, though hopefully they’d remain loyal this time.

He was trained as an Infiltrator, so the tech would be useful, but he had biotics powers, so the new L7ns would be useful as well. He could train his biotics outside to make sure that he could handle them before it was necessary. Even then, he held his punches so to speak so as not to cause damage.

Like the damage he’d caused to the Thresher Maw on Akuze. 

He winced and got to work on his profile instead of slipping into destructive memories. He didn’t need to go back down that road. He’d already mourned them, he didn’t need to slip into depression over it again.

* * *

 

The new identity was thorough, ensuring that no one would be able to relate him to anything else, especially not his real past. All his military training was instead related back to mercenary work, part of a group that had a real military leader, a group that was gone, destroyed during the Reaper Wars. 

Another sacrifice, though one he hadn’t known about.

His gear was related to his family, though no one needed to know about that or the cybernetics under his skin - it wasn’t unusual for people to have them. They were common both underground and in the public eye after all.

When he was finished, he was quite proud of what he had. He got Brenda and Gary to look it over, to which they got ahold of one of their contacts who just happened to be a shadow broker agent who read through it. The man was so elated over it that he tried hiring Shepard to do others. 

He wasn’t quite sure about creating identities for other people, especially if they turned out to be anything like the illusive man or Kai Leng, but he would keep his options open.

Gary sat down with him one day after he’d finished it and put it into the systems. They were looking through dossier’s of different worlds he could visit, making up a travel plan on where he wanted to go now that he was free to do so. They were chatting about different places when Gary asked about his name.

“Where’d you come up with the name Alec Anderson?” Shepard smiled at the question before answering.

“Well… back before the war, before the Reapers, there were two men at different points in my life that became something like father figures...

* * *

 

_ Alec was the name of a man back in his street days after his mother had passed. He’d never known his father, who had died in military service to the Alliance.  He knew the man’s last name, because that had been the one given to him, one he’d abandoned while on the streets. _

_ Names meant little here unless someone knew who you were, after all. Reputation was everything. You were only known by the products you sold or services you handled - and both came with a gang, a group of people that was reliable until they or you were useless to the other.  _

_ When he first landed on the streets after he’d been kicked out of the only place he’d ever known to be home, he’d been lost. He didn’t know the rules, if there were any. He didn’t know what game they played on the streets that risked life and limb to survive.  _

_ But he’d adapted.  _

_ He became a small time pick pocket, protected by a shiv that had seen better days. He took credit chits from the better population, selling them to the highest bidder at the gang meets when they weren’t taken from him. He wasn’t a hacker, not back then. Getting into credit chits to transfer them over wasn’t something he knew how to do. More often than not, he got nothing when he tried to sell to them - thieves stealing from thieves and bigger street rats threatening bodily harm to claim what wasn’t theirs.  _

_ Life on the streets was hard without credits or trade, and when one's livelihood was stolen from them, it just became worse. _

_ Eating was something that occurred once or twice a week, even with the small kitchen open to the homeless. You didn’t get to keep your food when you had no rep. You were expected to hand it over to your betters. To keep your food, you needed to be sneaky and cunning, something that wasn’t taking to John as easily as it was to other people.  _

_ He wasn’t all that old after all. His mother had taught him how to read and write, but in the end he’d been caring for her as she grew sick with disease. It was strange how the Alliance had abandoned them so quickly after the father had died.  _

_ On the streets, any sort of help came with a price. By the time John had met Alec, he’d known that.  _

_ Yet Alec had been different. He didn’t live on the streets, not like the other people did. He didn’t sleep on one of the abandoned cots in the local church or steal for food and credits. The man was a business owner. He owned a bar that a bunch of the gangs gathered at.. _

_ John had been a new kid in a small time gang full of children his age with only a pair of teenagers managing everything. They were sent out on small time thievery - pickpocket, burglary, small heist, etc. The relatively new gang was named the Tenth Street Reds, and it made at least enough of a reputation to keep others somewhat off the backs of the other kids.  _

_ It wasn’t because they were good, it was because the teenagers were brutal. _

_ Although none of them were quite of age to be in a bar, the teenaged leaders of the gang brought along their best - which somehow John had been included. It was dark, but it wasn’t a mess like he’d expected everything to be on the streets - even their hideout was a cluttered mess. The place was well maintained with pieces and parts of the different gangs scattered about with other better off citizens.  _

_ Then there was the man behind the bar.  _

_ He gave the group an amused look when they walked in, the bouncer leading them directly to the bar itself. He had a glass in his hand and a grin on his face as he talked to the gang leaders. There was an air about him, one that said he knew how the fight and he could take you down as quick as it started, but that air meshed with the kindness one saw in his eyes.  _

_ They came back repeatedly, John working hard to gain his way into the good graces of the leaders in order to go back and see the man who he eventually talked to. Over the years, a relationship built, until John made the mistake of calling him ‘Dad’ while they talked with the others in the gang present. _

_ The man had laughed and patted his head. What he feared would be backlash from the others was a shrug of acceptance. The leaders said that most of the gang considered Alec their ‘Dad’ even though they didn’t actually have any relation.  _

_ When he left the Reds and the streets behind for the military, the last thing he saw from ‘Dad’ was pride that he’d made it off the streets alive.  _

* * *

 

_ As soon as John - who had reclaimed the last name Shepard - entered the military, he’d been shoved into the just about everything where he was expected to do his best. There were things he didn’t know, given where he’d grown up, but he was trying. He needed to be noticed by some of the higher-ups at least. Something he’d learned on the streets. Get in good with the boss and you’d be safe. _

_ Training was brutal, especially for someone as malnourished as he’d been. They’d shoved as much food down his throat as they could get before forcing him through the regime. For the first few weeks of the military, it had been horrible.  _

_ Several times within the span of a few weeks John had thought to quit - to go back and get out of this torture he was putting himself through. Every time, he’d thought of Alec and determined that he wouldn’t leave, that he’d push through this and make a better life for himself. _

_ Yet there still came a time when he’d honestly asked himself what he was doing and why he was doing it. The alliance had abandoned his family after all, had stepped away when his mother had needed them most, when he’d needed them most. He’d been kicked out on the streets because they hadn’t bothered to do anything.  _

_ He’d taken a seat in the mess hall and considered walking away from it all when a soldier walked in through the doorway, proud and sturdy. He didn’t show any need to prove himself, as if he already had. He walked around the hall, talking to the other new recruits - and though he didn’t come to where John sat alone he still made an impression on the mind of the eighteen year old.  _

_ If he could stand proud like that, and show that he was here by his own means with nothing to tear him down, then that would mean he’d done what he’d set out to do, right? To take a step off the streets and become someone better. _

_ So he pushed himself even harder. _

_ John landed himself on a team of infiltrators, on what he was trained to do. They went in and out of places the military wanted them to without a peep from anyone. It was great, until they found themselves paired up with a group of soldiers. _

_ Akuze… had been a disaster. The Soldiers had taken the reigns out from under the Infiltrators and in the end gotten everyone killed. John Shepard was the only one able to hold on, to stay alive. It was here that he showed any sign of Biotic skill, the ezo he’d been exposed to in the womb finally expressing itself. He took down a thresher maw in order to keep his life, and in the end he proved himself a survivor. _

_ He didn’t bother to tell the alliance about the biotics. He knew what they did with the kids that showed it: he wasn’t going to be part of that.  _

_ After that, he found himself under the tutelage of David Anderson, who had been one of the people to pull him off of Akuze. When they’d determined him fit enough for duty, Anderson had taken over his training. He went from fitness, to leadership, to everything else that the man had determined him able to do. After a few years of this, Anderson found out about his Biotics. _

_ Anderson didn’t tell a soul, other than the tutor he and a few  others had pulled in to train him on control. It seemed Anderson knew what would happen if command knew as well, and knew when to follow orders and when to not. _

_ It was a lesson Shepard would use later on.  _

_ John was then put into the N7 program, a program made to train the best of the best. It was for those that would take on commands, and lead the Alliance in the future, while training as the special forces operations unit for the military. It opened doors for Shepard, who took them with a willingness and passion that surprised even Anderson.  _

_ Then he’d ended up serving alongside Anderson on the SR1 Normandy, a ship at the top of it’s class, with a crew that was even better. That was where all the problems began, and through it all there was Anderson willing to give him counsel if he needed it or lend a hand.  _

_ It was like he had another dad - though he wouldn’t screw up and say it this time. Not even when the man died on the Citadel right before John sacrificed his life for all. _

* * *

 

“So Alec was a bar owner, and yet a father figure to most Orphans on the street. While Anderson was a role model from your military days, who was proud of you till the end?”

“That’s about it, yeah,” he said his eyes looking out the window to stare at the ocean beyond. “They both made me who I am today.”

“I think they’d be proud, wherever they are.” Gary stated as he looked back down at the Dossier’s. “So, you find out where you want to go first?”

“Yeah. There’s a frontier world out on the fringe systems. They call it Alanza.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, now Shepard's got another chance, but what's he going to do with it?
> 
> Word Count: 7291


	2. 01A|Mesh|Krogan #1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alanza is a dry world, once inhabited by the Krogans. There are ruins and history on it's surface and below. One would expect to meet scientist here, but why a Krogan mother and son? What are they looking for? And what's going to happen on this planet?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter in a set of stories for the children of Alec Anderson. Sit back and enjoy. If you find and typos or grammar errors, please let me know. Thank you.

“Now boarding at Dock - C3, Citadel transport. Now boarding at Dock - C3,” the spaceport in what had once been London was rebuilt and better than before. It was still confusing especially with all the people about but it had to make sense to someone at least. 

“Sounds like your ship Dearie,” Alec looked down at the woman beside him from streaming sign that said the same thing the voice over the coms had stated. He lifted his hand and moved his dark hair out of his face, giving a smile to the woman and her son.

“It is. Thanks for everything Brenda,” he said, accepting the hug the other initiated before looking to Gary. “Thanks to you as well Gary.”

“It’s the least we can do for someone like you, Alec,” he said in reply, and Anderson got the meaning. He hadn’t expected anything in return for saving the galaxy, but getting another chance at life was an excellent gift.

“Remember to stop by at least once every two months, dearie. I’m not done with you yet, and we need to make sure there’s no long term effects. I also want answer to any emails sent, and as many vids as possible. If not, we’ll come up to the stars looking for you, and you won’t like it,” Brenda says with a smile on her face. Alec shivers a little at the threat, knowing that such a threat was a hazard to one’s health. Living with Brenda, he’d discovered that he never wanted Brenda to come looking for him after he was called - it could end with more harm than was safe.

“Yes Brenda, I’ll make sure to keep up with my mail,” he replied. “I’ll contact you in some way when I settle in on Alanza.”

“Make sure you read the instructions for that camera before you activate it. We don’t want any mishaps, but we don’t want a fuzzy screen on gorgeous views either,” she said with her hands on her hips. 

“I should go,” he said with a sigh and the others nodded before he turned away and headed for his terminal. At the door, he waved back before boarding the transport vessel.

* * *

 

Not many people went off planet since the Reaper Wars, most choosing to stay and soak in the peace or assist with the mess that was still prominent on the planet's surface. It made the transport empty, leaving a quiet ride. Most on board were elderly heading off to see their children out there in the galaxy somewhere - short term visits compared to his long term tour.

Brenda had supplied him with money for the trip. There was a bit too much but she wouldn’t accept him taking any less. He was her pet project, and she would support him in anyway she could until he could find his own feet - had to make sure her puppy was fine.

A puppy? He wasn’t sure how he felt about that. Gary thought it was hilarious. Like mother like son.

The ship was a small one, it worked for the small amount of people who fit in the one room sitting around and chatting with each other. Alec sat in the back where he could see everyone - a habit in a room of unknowns. The trip would only take a few hours, enough time for strangers to intermingle with each other and make short term friends in hushed tones so as not to bother anyone else.

Alec activated his omni-tool and brought up the instruction manual for the camera given to him by Brenda. It was the newest model, small and compact with a long battery life meant to keep it awake for weeks at a time. It was Brenda’s gift to her ‘puppy’ so he had had no choice but to accept it. 

It would be useful in capturing the views of Alanza, both above ground and below.

Alanza had been a Krogan world as some point in history, full of underground tunnels and grand architecture. The landscape, like most Krogan worlds, was either desert, oasis, or canyons - each beautiful in it’s own right.

It would be one of the first worlds he would land on without the need for guns blazing or the actions of an alliance soldier. He could take time to enjoy the view, take in the sights and meet new people without the necessary speed of wartime. He could take a few videos and pictures of planets that he’d only glanced at before.

Alec pulled his mind away from the thoughts of the planet he had chosen to visit first, returning it back to the manual. He wanted to activate this camera as soon as possible so that he could record this new adventure of his.

* * *

 

The Citadel was a transition from one ship to the other. He had an hour to take in the view of the station, to analyze how badly it still needed to be repaired. From what he’d seen before - from the damage wrought by being the catalyst - it was in far better shape. 

The arms had been repaired, building spanning the massive structure built on top of others that had once stood there. How many times had the Citadel been populated before the Reapers came through and wiped out all advanced civilization? How many species had found a home on this giant piece of advanced tech, only to find themselves at the very center of the war?

It didn’t matter, they had survived. This cycle had been the end. This primitive society had destroyed the Reapers when no other cycle could.

The people of the Citadel had slipped back into their places, into their own patterns. There were empty chairs and missing friends and family, but they’d overcome the fear and horror of the war. Where they’d ignored before, he hoped they’d remember now.

The presidium was almost too embarrassing, staring up at a statue of himself with a gun raised in the air, shouting in triumph. He stared at it for a few moments before shaking his head and walking away. He hoped there weren’t too many of those around.

Alec bought lighter clothing, better than the civilian clothes that Brenda had bought him. They weren’t the kind that the citizens of the Citadel wore, nor the kind one would see all that often out in space, but they were far more comfortable. He changed into the jeans and hoodie before heading off to do a little more shopping for his stay on Alanza.

The docking bays had been some of the most damaged areas on the Citadel next to the arms of the ship. They’d had to be rebuilt after the war, but for the most part they seemed the same as Alec made his way through one of the newer ones to board the ship. It was bigger than the one he’d arrived on, full of cargo with room for people. He boarded and went for the back of the transport room, settling into a row of empty seats. He watched as people boarded, raising a buzz in the air as they chatted with each other. He pulled out his omni-tool and settled back into the manual as others boarded the ship until someone sat in the seat beside him. He looked over when he felt the eyes settle on him.

A small krogan boy was staring up at him with large round brown eyes, a toy in one hand and the other on the arm rest. Alec stared back for a moment before raising a brow and smiling.

‘Hey there,” he said, turning off the omni-tool and lowering his arm.

“Hi! I’m Mesh! I’m here with my mom. Mama says that the place we’re going has a whole bunch of stuff from Krogans, stuff that goes waaaaaay back. She says there’s giant maws there too. Have you seen one? Mama says they’re huge and scary and can swallow a whole Krogan -” Alec stared at the kid as he talked without a breathe.

“Mesh! There you are,” a large Krogan female came walking down the row. She took a seat beside her son, eyeing the boy and the human man beside him. “What are you doing? You know you shouldn’t run off like that.”

“I just wanted to say hi…” Mesh said with a whine as he looked down at his toy with a pout. The woman gave the boy an evil eye before looking up at Alec with an apologetic gaze.

“I’m sorry about that, sir. Mesh has always been a friendly child and doesn’t seem to learn that he shouldn’t talk to strangers,” she said with a sigh. Alec smiled in reply, his eyes crinkling in amusement.

“No harm done. It’s good to see Krogan children running about after the Genophage. If they’re all like Mesh, we can hope to avoid any future Krogan rebellions,” he said as he leaned to the side in his seat, away from the child who was now concentrating on making the Normandy ship in his hands shoot at some unknown enemy.

They Krogan woman chuckled in reply.

“Yes, well. It’s what the female clans are hoping for. Urdnot Wrex is following Bakara’s lead and rebuilding our homeworld instead of encouraging the battle between clans. We’re rebuilding, and having more children than we could hope for,” she said as she looked down at Mesh, patting his head as he played with his toys. “There are still babes being born without life, but that is the curse of being Krogan. Only one in every hundred survives, but it’s better than one in every few thousand.”

Alec hummed in response, a nod and a short smiled before he was looking out the window at the relay they’d just jumped through. At least Mordin’s sacrifice meant something. The female Krogan returned her attention to Mesh, telling him a story about the ancient Krogans. Alec listened while his mind drifted to the past.

* * *

 

“Shuttle to Alanza is now boarding. All civilians heading to Alanza please report to shuttle bay. Shuttle to Alanza is now boarding.” Alec looked up from his manual, only a few paragraphs away from finishing it. He didn’t usually read all the way through manuals, but it was the only thing he’d brought to read. He also didn’t quite feel like damaging the expensive camera as he’d never hear the end of it from Brenda - she’d probably bring up something else he’d broken in his years before she’d found him. Like the Citadel for example.

He looked over to watch the Krogans gather Mesh’s toys into a small pack. He waited until they had stood to follow them through the halls back to the small shuttle bay. Their luggage was already stuffed away into the compartments beside the chairs, which Alec checked to ensure his stuff was all there.

The Krogan’s took a seat along the opposite wall of his own chair, where his back was to the cockpit. A man stepped onboard with a tablet, handing it off to the pilot who looked back at the lot of them after looking down at the names listed. 

“All set?” he questioned and the three of them nodded in affirmation. The Pilot settled back into his seat, starting up the shuttle as the door closed. It took a moment before they were lifting off and heading out of the ship's bay, heading down for the solid land of the planet below.

The ride let Alec finish the instruction manual while Mesh chattered away with his mother. The disturbance of the shuttle through the planet's atmosphere shook them all, but it hardly disturbed what they were doing. It was hard to get anywhere without taking a shuttle, and there was always turbulence of some sort. 

The landing was much better than the ride, a silent stop as the shuttle settled down on a marked landing space outside of a research camp. The researchers were part of a science company that studied the ruins of ancient civilizations - and while the Krogan weren’t ancient or in ruins, much of their history was. 

The camp itself was settled outside of an entrance to one of the underground caverns dug out long ago. There were mobiles and tents settled around to protect from the heat of the sun. They stepped off of the shuttle, their gear being unloaded behind them by the pilot. A human headed towards them, dressed different than the others scattered around the camp. 

“Tourists?” the man questioned and Alec nodded in reply. “Alright, I got them,” the man said, taking the tablet from the pilot who hopped back into the shuttle and took off. Alec took a moment to look over the man, who wasn’t a civilian at all. This guy was a merc, probably hired by the scientists company to protect them and the tourists. 

They were led around to the far side of the camp where a group of mobiles rose three stories off of their temporary foundations. There were already several people in residence - most looking well off enough to stay for longer than a few weeks. He was sure some of them had been there since the beginning of the project. Perhaps they were patrons to the company.

“The Krogans will be on the first floor of tower three while the human will take unit two of the same tower. We are not in charge of your safety and there is no refunds unless wounded by external means or death. We only protect you as long as you are in designated areas where we are available. The rest is all you. If you planned to venture outside of protected areas, then you should have brought your own guns. Communications are set up and can be reached most anywhere within a 50 kilometer range, except for underground ruins,” the man said as he leaned against the wall of a central unit that was surrounded by five three story towers. “Should you need assistance, the main lead is housed in this building. Otherwise, you’re on your own.”

Alec watched as the merc walked off back into the science camp before heading off toward the third tower which was right across from the office entrance. There were others walking around wearing long dresses or nice suits. They didn’t spare a glance for the three of them.

“See you later Alec!” Mesh called as he mother took him to their unit. Alec headed up to the second unit, which was on top of the first unit. Opening the door, he looked around at the studio like apartment with a kitchenette near the door and his single bed over in the corner. The Restroom was just beyond the kitchenette with a walk-in college right beside it. There was a large window off the side of it looking out over the desert. He walked in with his bag and the small suitcase he brought in with him. 

He took the bag with the camera and started pulling everything out to put the thing together.

* * *

 

He was always awake early in the day, whether out in the space or on the ground. He was out of the small commune of towers most days, and today was no different. The desert with all it’s canyons were calling to him, and he answered it. The Kodiak driver that took him out to these areas was fairly nice, chatting with him the whole way out. Most of it was about galactic news but there was some information about the different venues. 

There were times when he went out that he didn’t bring much of anything except his gun, but today was one of those days that he brought his gear to go climbing. He was going to try using the live camera, hoping that the signal was clear enough for him to use. He wasn’t sure about the com buoys that were closest to Alanza, but he could hope they were good enough even if they were close to the edge of the Terminus System.

Anderson’s climbing gear was the old stuff, the kind that was ropes, prusik, carabiners and a harness. It wasn’t something that was available through the regular channels being that people didn’t normally do physical climbing like this anymore. He had to thank Gary for these. He figured it would be fun, and doing any sort of exercise would help keep him up with the enhancements in his body.

The Kodiak dropped him off thirty kilometers from the camp, at the entrance into a canyon. He walked through it, the camera live and taking shots of the area - taking it in in full detail thanks to it being as expensive as it is. He found a nice cliff that looked like it would give a good view and started to climb. There were holes in the side, entrances that led into the underground ruins. At the top of the cliff, he took a seat and signaled the camera to look at him.

“Hey Brenda, Gary. I got settled here in Alanza for the week. Chose this canyon to jump into first and what a view, as you’ve seen so far,” he says as he looks back over the canyon, the camera following his view. There was a small creek with flora and ferns rising up the sides. The Krogan architecture looked as if it had been naturally formed out of the sides of the canyon, seamlessly integrating with the landscape. “It’s nice to be able to just sit here and enjoy this instead of running through these areas fighting for survival. Thanks for giving me this opportunity to do so.” He turned off the mic but left the feed on. He retrieved all his gear and put it away delicately, not wanting his gear to wear out before it’s wear date. He looked around the plateaus that topped the cliffsides of the canyon. They were barren for Kilometers, but in the distance he could see towering structures of buildings, ruins from ancient civilizations that had once been here before. The camera was taking in everything he was seeing, showing it to the people on the other end. 

He ended up just sitting there and taking in the view until it was almost time to meet up with the shuttle and it’s driver, Cade - an old shuttle pilot for the Alliance Navy that had joined up with the merc group to do these odd jobs. He caught more of the view on the way back, taking it slow and knowing he had nothing he needed to rush for.

* * *

 

When he got back, Mesh kept asking where he’s gone and what he’d seen and what his gear was for. He found it amusing and refreshing that someone had to ask questions that weren’t going to get people killed if it wasn’t the right choice. Having a child ask the questions was even better, as his mind kept conjuring up the catalyst every time someone mentioned children.

Mesh wanted to go with him the next day, but Alec wasn’t so sure he wanted to take him. Asakura, the mother of Mesh, made a compromise with him. She and Mesh would go with him and though he didn’t really want to go with anyone else, he agreed. 

They returned to the canyon where he’d been before, Alec leaving his climbing gear behind but bringing an extra gun on his back. He wore a t-shirt with jeans and boots today, a harness clipped on to hold the pistol and the heavier assault rifle to him along with a pack with essentials for a small hike. Asakura had her own gear and gun, while Mesh carried a bag of his own. 

“There was an entrance a ways down the canyon,” Alec said as they hopped off the shuttle. “It was fairly well preserved.” The mother nodded and Mesh just smiled up at them with excitement in his eyes. 

Inside the ruins there was plenty of well preserved art on the walls, along with VI’s and lights that lit things up as they studied it. The deeper they went, the more they learned. 

Then the quakes started.

They weren’t strong quakes. They were barely noticeable, and Alec only noticed them because he was trained to notice the small things. He paused next to one of the pieces, following behind the Krogans, as a tremor rocked through his legs. He looked to the VI which was still going, watching it flicker oddly a few times before turning to the Krogans. 

“We need to leave,” he said when a second one rocked up his legs. The Krogans turned to him and blinked. “We’ve got quakes, two so far - “ another passed through, stronger than the previous two. “Three now.”

“Quakes?” Asakura asked, her eyes narrowing. Alec nodded, reaching up to turn off the camera that had been filming the ruins and the paintings. The Krogan woman looked around before nodding, herding Mesh to follow after Alec who was leading them out of the ruins. 

Another quake hit, strong enough for Asakura to feel in and the woman made them move faster. 

“That’s not soil shifting quakes,” Asakura said as they raced toward the exit. The sudden sound of crashing and slithering tipped Alec off to what it actually was. Then the tunnel behind them collapsed and he heard a shriek as something broke through the stone nearby. 

Mesh screamed and Alec reached down and picked the Krogan off the ground, thanking Brenda once more for his enhancements and ability to carry the Krogan even if he was a child. The boy curled into Alec, holding on tight. He was muttering to himself as they moved, but Alec couldn’t pay much attention as he was concentrating on how to get out of the ruins without the Thresher Maw catching up to them. 

“Asakura, take Mesh,” Alec said, handing off the young one to his mother. The boy tried to cling to him but Alec was stronger and got him to let go and cling to his mother instead. He reached down and pulled the pistol off his harnas. “We get out there, you two move to safer ground and get a hold of the pilot. I’ll keep the Thresher Maw distracted.” Mesh cried out again, but Alec paid him no attention while Asakura nodded as they rushed through the ruins and out the opening. 

The canyon didn’t seem big enough for a full sized thresher maw to shove it’s head out of the ground, but it did it with ease. Alec turned to face it, hearing the Krogans hurry back. 

_ ‘Good going Shepard. You always seem to find some kind of trouble,’  _ he thought as he eyed the Thresher Maw. The beast was facing him, it knew he was there even if the thing didn’t have any eyes that Anderson could see. He could still hear Mesh crying, but he couldn’t pay attention to that. There were no electronics to hack out here, his guns would hardly penetrate the beast. He could use his biotics, and hopefully take it out like he had the one on Akuse.

That was probably the best option. This one was smaller than that one had been. He let out a curse when it returned to ground. He waited moments, making sure to stay as quiet as he could. 

The beast popped out of the ground not ten feet away. He moved back into the shadows of the tunnel, lighting up his biotics as he watched the Thresher flail about, looking for its prey.

Alec didn’t like being prey, not when he was so used to being the predator - even against things that were several hundred times his size. The canyon was quiet for minutes as Alec studied the beast, until the sound of a Kodiak hummed through it along with the voice from Asakura’s Omni tool. The thing started moving suddenly in the Krogan’s direction and suddenly Alec had someone else he had to protect on the field. 

Biotics were a godsend. Just as the Kodiak came around the corner, Alec threw a stasis at the beast and caged it in a single motion. He dropped his pistol and threw himself into a reave, and to his surprise it tore the beast in two. He paused, unsure of what just happened as he turned to look at the Maw that was split in two. He tilted his head even as he heard the Kodiak door open and Cad jump out to stare at the beast with the Krogans who were wide eyed as well. 

“Damn man… trying to pull a Shepard?” the driver asked and Alec shook his head.

“Not on purpose…” he said, still a bit shocked at the power that had come out of him. He didn’t even feel slightly drained.

He’d have to ask Brenda about this. When Mesh was over the shock, he hurriedly grabbed onto Alec, and for the whole trip back he wouldn’t let go.

* * *

 

“Hey Brenda,” Alec sat back in the small studio apartment the next day, looking over a tablet that had some of the things that had been done to him. Brenda had given them over rather easily. That same woman was who he was talking to over long range comms.

“Good Morning Alec, I hear you have some questions about your enhancements,” it sounded like she was working as she spoke to him, and if it were anyone but the lady he’d have serious doubts about them multi tasking while working on the human body.

“Just a few,” he replied with a sigh, leaning back and looking away from the tablet and out the window that was across from the bar in the kitchen he sat at. “Something happened while I was out there.”

“During the ruins tour I assume?” Brenda said and he heard a noise from the other end as her shoes clicked against the floor. “Such interesting things can be found from history. But I digress.”

“It was after I turned off the camera. The quakes were caused by a Thresher Maw which ended up chasing us out of the Ruin,” he stated, picking up the Tablet again and standing up to go take a better look out the window off into the desert. “When it attacked, I used a reave. I tore it apart in one hit.”

“Sounds like your biotics are adjusting well to the enhancements then. The implant we chose is one of the best conductors we could find, even if there are newer ones out there. There are a few other things that work with your biotics, but that should be in the information you’ve been sent,” Brenda said from the other side. “It’s nothing worry about Alec. You already knew your biotics would be different from the tests and therapy we’ve done with you. It will take time for you to reach your full potential with the enhancements, which means they will get stronger. You’ll just have to be careful and train yourself to handle the extra power boost.”

Brenda made it sound easy, although most things she did were easy to her at least. Training overpowered Biotics was not going to be easy however. He sighed and shook his head, quiet for a moment.

“Thanks Brenda, I’ll talk to you later.”

“It’ll be fine Alec, and be safe - I don’t want my puppy being hurt.”

Alec cut the comms and shook his head. Just more to put on his plate he supposed, although he was glad that it was next to nothing compared to what he’d gone through before. He ran a hand through his hair, which was getting longer, and crossed his arms and he looked off to the horizon.

* * *

 

Later that day, Asakura came over, lacking one hyperactive son wandering around his feet. Alec lifted a brow at that but didn’t make a comment as he invited her it. 

“What’s up?” he asked as he made some coffee for the both of them. He set a cup in front of the Krogan and took a seat at the bar facing her while she took one on the couch. The Krogan was silent for a while, staring into the coffee like it held all the answers in the world. Alec sat patiently, watching the woman until she started to speak.

“It’s Mesh… he’s… still in shock from yesterday,” Asakura said as she looked over at the human. Alec nodded in understanding. What child wouldn’t be shocked at being attacked like that. 

“The best thing to do is give him a few days. It was the same with the other newer recruits to the merc group. They’d shut themselves away if given time, and it would take a few days for them to get better,” he said before taking a sip of his coffee. Asakura shook her head as she put the cup down on the small table. 

“It’s not that. He’s seen fights before, especially in the places that we’ve been to. The problem is what he saw this time, and what he saw before,” she said as she turned her head to look out the window. Alec watched her curiously before giving in and asking.

“And what was that?”

“Mesh lost his father to a Thresher Maw,” she said as she leaned back into the couch. “It was on a planet like this, all desert and canyons with small oasis’ every so often. We were staying in a small mobile at the entrance to one of the Canyons, the ruins not that far down it. His father was outside the mobile, cleaning his guns when the Maw came from the deserts and attacked. Mesh and I watched the Maw take the biggest Krogan either of us have ever seen, and swallow him like he was nothing.” Asakura looked at him then, an almost haunted look in her eyes. “What he saw was a reenactment of that time, of losing another person that he’d befriended die by Thresher Maw. You survived, yes, but that moment was replaying in his mind over and over again.”

* * *

 

Mesh didn’t seem all that bad the next day when he was at the door of Alec’s apartment, banging on it in the early hours of the morning. He crawled out of bed after hearing the kids voice and opened it.

He found Mesh on the other side, bouncing on his toes like he always was in the morning. The kid charged into him with a shout of his name in cheer. Alec’s hand quickly shot between the small Krogan and his groin. He didn’t need to know what a Krogan charge - small Krogan or not - felt like down there.

“Good Morning to you too Mesh,” he said after the kid gave him a hug around the legs. 

“HI ALEC! Are we going out today too? Can we? You’re not going alone right?” he questioned really quickly as he bounced around Alec’s legs. The human raised a brow at the boy and shook his head.

“I’m going out, yeah. Your mom was sticking around camp and I’m not taking you away from her,” he said as he turned and headed back into the room. The kid followed him in, looking at Anderson’s things which were placed on different surfaces to keep it all off the floor and somewhat organized. “Or you could hang out with Cad, I’m sure he’s got some pretty wild stories to tell.” The Krogan perked up at the comment on stories.

“He does! Really awesome stories he tells me when Mama’s busy. He knows everything about Shepard! He said that he even came back from the dead once! Do you think he can do it again? You think he can bring others back with him? Like Mordin? The one who made a cure for the thing?” Mesh asked, his eyes big as he spun around and looked up at Alec with wide curious eyes. Alec raised a brow at the Krogan as he pulled on a shirt.

“Not quite sure about that, kid,” Alec said as he grabbed his gun and it’s holster, strapping it around the thigh of his cargoes that he’d slept in. The Harness didn’t need to come today. “I imagine if he came back, he might just want to live a normal life, instead of being made a hero - both of them.”

“What!? But why!? Everyone wants to meet Shepard, don’t they?”

“Not everyone kid. He pissed off some people in his day. Plus, he was a soldier, he was just doing job,” Alec stated as he bent down to pick the kid up after he had his boots on. “Now, why don’t we go back to your mom.”

The poor Krogan kid kept trying to get him to stay back with them. To stick around instead of heading out back into the desert even as Alec dropped him off to his mother who had some trouble keeping the kid inside when Alec left. The human shook his head and made his way to the Kodiak. 

“Heading back out Anderson?” Cad asked as he stood up from his seat next to the vehicle. Alec nodded and the man opened the doors for him. “So, what do you know about Shepard, Anderson?”

The man talked a lot about the human commander, and Alec found it rather frightening how much the human was making his past life larger than it actually was. Or at least it seemed like he was. Sure, Shepard had done a lot during the last few years, becoming a big name and everything - but he was just playing his part. There was no time to feel the glory when he was just trying to survive and make sure people came out with him. 

He was glad when he was dropped off, finding himself at the mouth of a different canyon. The driver turned the Kodiak around and left him there to do what he wanted. Alec turned the camera on again, letting it take in the view while he merely stood there. He turned on the mic finally and talked to it. 

“Why am I legend? Why was my name made so big, when all I felt at the time was a need to survive? I sacrificed people, and yet I’m the one everyone remembers…” he said, then shook his head. “That’s not what I want to say though. It was just the driver talking about it for the last half hour that got me thinking. What I want to say is that there’s a Krogan kid at the camp I’m staying at - the same one you say in the day before yesterday. I’ve known him and his mother for three days, but that kid was screaming and crying out for me when I fought the Thresher Maw. He panicked and clung to me when the fight was over, and he panicked this morning when I was leaving without him and his mom to go exploring. It’s only been three days - I don’t understand.” He sighed and started walking down through the canyon, taking in the sights as he went for the entrance to another set of ruins that he could see. 

“Perhaps you two will understand it better. If you have answers, I’d like to know them. Before I end up leaving the two of them behind and cracking the little guys heart to pieces.”

* * *

 

On the fifth day, he was woken as he was the previous with Mesh standing at the door. The kid didn’t look too good this time but he still smiled up at Alec. Alec raised a brow and let the kid in as he went to get a shirt on. He’d taken a shower last night so he was dressed in his sleep pants and wasn’t planning on going out until later that day. The kid took a seat in the kitchen, quiet as he watched Alec make breakfast. Alec threw extra on in case the kid wanted some as well. 

The kid remained quiet for a time as he sat there before he started talking. 

“Mama wants to know where you’re leaving,” he said and Alec looked back at the kid before looking to the food again. He knew it wasn’t the mother who was asking but he supposed he could answer. 

“Three days. I’m heading to the Citadel to meet with a friend,” he said as dished the food onto two separate plates. The boy was quiet again as the food was set down in front of him. Alec sat across the bar from him, munching on his own food until the kid spoke again.

“Can mama and I come?” he questioned and Alec lifted a brow, pausing in his chewing before finishing and putting the fork back on the barely touched plate.

“That would depend on your mother,” he said as he watched the kid. “Why do you want to come with me Mesh?” he questioned after another moment. The kids head bent down, staring at his food. 

Then there were tears and Alec sighed. 

“Cause I wanna. I don’t want you to leave us behind like Dad did,” he said, with tears running down his face. “Everyone’s been treating us differently without dad, like we don’t mean anything. But you’re like Dad and like everyone says Shepard was. You saved Mama and me. You don’t treat us badly. You’re like dad… and I want a Papa again…I don’t wanna be left alone.”

* * *

 

“Asakura, we need to talk,” Alec said as the door opened in front of him, the female Krogan on the other side. It was late and the smaller Krogan was asleep which meant that it was safe to talk about what Mesh had told him earlier without the kid listening in. The Krogan woman looked back at where the kid was sleeping before nodding, ushering them out the door of the mobile.

“What is it?” she asked and Alec ran a hand through his hair before talking. 

“What has happened since Mesh’s father died?” he questioned, getting straight to the point. The woman blinked before lifting the Krogan equivalent to a brow. 

“Nothing different from normal, why?” 

“Because Mesh came to me early this morning. His exact words were ‘Everyone’s been treating us differently without dad, like we don’t mean anything.’ What does that mean? Were they hurting you? Were they taking things they shouldn’t?” he asked and the woman smiled and shook her head. 

“No, it’s nothing like that. Mesh is a child, and though he’s seen things that someone so young is usually protected from, he still see’s the world in his own innocent way. No one was hurting us. They were treating us with delicacy because there was a reason to,” she said as she leaned against one of the railings. “I’ve been sick for a very long time. I ignore it, for the most part, so that I can do what I want and teach my child. People notice however, and that is why they treat us differently. It’s not that we don’t mean anything, it’s that we’re seen as people who need a different kind of attention.”

“Is it fatal?” he questioned and the woman nodded. 

“What Mordin put into the air solved the problem of the genophage - cured it to an extent. However, not everyone reacted to it as they should have. My body reacted to it violently, and it continues to fight what the cure put into my system. I will not live another month. His father and I took him to the stars so that he would know what it is to travel with family. Losing his father wasn’t supposed to happen. He was supposed to take care of Mesh when I died. Now, it’s all I can do to just travel with him and show him everything I can before I go too and he’s stuck in the female society where no one’s going to be able to spare him the time of day because they’re busy with their own children.”

Alec was quiet as she spoke, taking in what she was saying. He lowered his head and ran a hand through his hair. 

“I think Mesh knows that you’re sick, in some way,” he said as he leaned against the building. Asakura tilted her head in curiosity at Alec who closed his eyes for a moment. “He said, ‘You’re like dad… I want a Papa again… I don’t wanna be left alone.”

Asakura lowered her own head, her eyes wide as she realized her son might know more than she thought. Alec sighed and stood up, reaching over and putting a hand on the female’s shoulder. 

“Perhaps you should talk to him about it, find out what he knows and what he wants to do.”

* * *

 

Turns out the boy knew a lot more than the mother thought, which Alec already suspected. Alec left early the next morning so he didn’t hear the initial conversation when he was out and about.

Alec had been dropped off at an Oasis - not a local one of course as it always seemed that some of the other residents of the towers were there on a daily basis. Instead he was a few clicks away at one covered in odd ferns that he’d seen before and knew weren’t deadly or poisonous to him. It was very quiet and peaceful.

“Hey Brenda, Gary. I’m leaving for the Citadel in tomorrow. It was fun out here in the desert. I know you’re both meeting me there, waiting at the docks to ambush me. Mesh wants to come along, and drag his mom… something happened last night. Something happens everyday doesn’t it? It turns out that Asakura is very sick. She doesn’t expect to live out the month - and Mesh knows. He’s expecting her to die, he knows it’s coming but he doesn’t want to be left alone.” Alec sat quietly for a moment before sighing and standing from where he sat in the sand beside the oasis. He smiled as he looked out at the desert. “Don’t know if I’d make a good father. But it’s looking more and more like I’m going to be one whether I’m sure of it or not. I have to thank you for the enhancements, otherwise I’d end up a eunuch with that kid around,” he looked away from the desert and back toward where the camp is. “Anyways, talk to you later.”

He turned off the camera and simply watched the skies for hours until the Kodiak came back and picked him up. Cad talked to him for a while, saying his goodbyes while he was at it. They were slow going, and when they finally pulled into camp there was very little light left. Alec looks out the window of the Kodiak and raises a brow.

“Why are the lights out?” he questions and the driver blinks.

“The lights are always on, it’s one of our rules,” he says and Alec lifts a brow before nodding toward the front where the driver puts up the viewing screen. It’s almost black out from the lack of light. The pair of them look at each other before, Alec pulls his gun off of his thigh. Cad grabs his own gun and they both step off the Kodiak, Alec making sure that no one is around to see them. 

“I don’t see any of your mercs,” Alec says and Cad shakes his head. Alec herds the other towards cover and follows behind him. “Who showed up? Did anything come over coms?”

“Nothing came over comms, I was gone for less than an hour,” Cad says as he watches Alec peak around the corner. “Do you see anything?”

Alec eyes the surrounding for any movement. He sees none so he tries to look for any signs of what might have been there. They were in the tourist part, with the towers settled around the main office. There was no signs of shots fired that he could see. It took a moment before he spotted the drag marks on the ground in the dirt. 

“It looks like whoever they are, they dragged people out of here. I’m going to check the mobiles, you make sure no one shows up from the researcher camp or anywhere else,” Alec said and Cad nodded, hurrying over to hide beside the main office with a view of the research camp. 

Alec made his way through the mobiles, finding places torn to bits. There were holes in them from energy guns and thermal clips, which meant there was certainly a fight. He passed through room after room until he came upon his own, which was untouched. He supposed his things weren’t important enough for them to go through. 

He stopped where he was inside his room when a noise caught his attention. It wasn’t too far off in the distance - perhaps over the researcher’s camp - but it was definitely an incoming ship. He moved into the room, letting the door closed and squatted down behind the bar as it grew closer. He recognized the sound of a gunship as it moved closer and hovered over the towers. 

The ship hovered for a few moments before it turned around, continuing on it’s patrol. He sighed and looked around again, his eyes looking out the window to the room toward the desert before eyeing the bathroom door. There was a shuffling sound from inside that was barely there. 

Someone was inside the bathroom, but who?

He tapped lightly on the door and moved out of the way, hearing the shuffling stop. There was another sound from inside before the door slid open to reveal Asakura and Mesh.

Asakura didn’t look so good with blood flowing out of her chest and down her clothing. Mesh looked like he’d been crying and was trying his hardest not to make any noise. 

“Alec, it’s good to see you made it,” Asakura said softly, sounding like she was barely staying standing. Mesh sniffled like he was going to cry again. “I talked with Mesh, he already knew, just like you said. I don’t think I’ll be able to get any further than this,” she said softly, her eyes starting to flutter. 

“Mama! You can’t say that! Stay here, please!” Mesh said, the tears flowing again. “Don’t leave me alone,” he whined and reached out to hold onto his mother who smiled down at him. 

“You won’t be alone Mesh,” she said softly as she patted his head. She sat down on the toilet as her legs didn’t feel like holding her up anymore. Mesh looked up at her with wide tearful eyes before she looked over at Alec, whom the boy turned his own eyes to. “You are a kind man, Alec. You’ve already shown that you protect people… could you continue to protect Mesh? Could you be his family? Please? He doesn’t deserve to be abandoned by his own people simply because his parents are gone. Will you take him? Please… please take him in,” she said softly. Her voice was fading, as was the light in her eyes. She was passing far too quickly, which meant something vital had been hit and there was no way for Alec to save her or get to a doctor quick enough - especially with the people out there whom he didn’t know who they were yet. 

Could he take care of a Krogan kid? Could he make sure the child lived a good life? Was he willing to let him go back to the Krogan’s where he would be left for nothing, fodder in a war that had yet to end even at Wrex’s hands? The human sighed and ran a hand through his hair before lifting his eyes and meeting Asakura’s dying ones. 

“I’ll make sure he’s safe, Asakura,” he said and the woman smiled before the light died in her eyes. Mesh let out a cry and held onto her, sniffling as he leaned against her. Alec looked down at the boy and sighed. The sound of the door to the apartment opening caused him to switch his attention and bring up his gun. He stepped out, gun pointed, only to lower it when the driver stepped in quickly.

“Don’t shoot! It’s me!” he said, hurrying over. He spotted Asakura and cursed. “Damn it, they’re not shooting the other hostages, but they shoot her! She must have fought hard.”

“Mama did…” the boy said with a sniffle. “She fought to protect me even though she was already dying,” he said with a cry, the tears starting up again. Alec sighed once more and looked at Cad.

“Stay with him. He needs someone to keep an eye on him while he mourns his mother. I need to find the other hostages and make sure they’re safe,” Cad nodded and sat by the door to the bathroom, his gun in his hands as he watched the window and door. Alec turned to his omni tool and clicked on a tool he hadn’t used in while, his tactical cloak shielding him from the view of all and grabbing the sniper rifle off the bedside table.. It was time to get to work.

* * *

 

Alec’s omni tool went off a few moments later as he was hiding behind a building leading into the researcher's camp. He read through a message that told him it was Batarian slavers who had found the camp and were taking anyone they could. He kept his calm, renewing his tactical cloak and leaning around the edge to look around and see what they had in it. 

His training took over as he moved around the building, heading for higher ground without being noticed or heard. He made his way across the mobiles, passing unnoticed until he found himself in open space where three more gunships were sitting with mercenaries standing around them. 

He could hack into those and disable them. It would give him time to rid the area of mercenaries while they tried to fix them. He could also set charges, ignite the beasts before they could be used. 

That wouldn’t give him too much time to search for the hostages though. A switch then, when they turned on the gunships, they would ignite. 

What if they never got to them though? What if the civilians and the researchers were the next person to handle it?

Disable it was.

He made his way to the gunship under his tactical cloak, staying a distance away from the mercs. He hacked into the controls, disabling the ships with a few well placed lines of code before slipping back into the camp, heading toward the center. There weren’t too many Batarian slaver about, which meant they weren’t expecting too much of a fight.

Had someone told them they were out here? Or had it been scouting from orbit? Was there a probe involved that no one noticed? None of that mattered right now as he made his way to one of the mobiles and climbed the side ladder to the top. He needed to get a head count of all the Batarians in the area, and a way to take them out silently. He didn’t think the people here had any weapons of their own - or very few if the researchers brought any. He had his sniper rifle on his back, which would do great for getting a majority of the people off the roofs and perhaps a few more from the ground if he kept moving and timed his shots. 

He found a spot up high on a stack of mobiles away from the other snipers he’d spotted as he’d crossed the roof tops. He settled down on his stomach and took a scouting looking over the area, checking out his options through the scope.

There were four snipers - more than he was expecting with the numbers they brought but still a small amount. He took them out quickly and silently, watching them fall back onto roofs where they wouldn’t be found anytime soon by their fellow mercs. They were silent, quick kills.

Kills that he hadn’t wanted after how much he’d had to do before. 

His sights moved to those on the grounds, walking around in loose patrols. He took them out in groups, not wanting anyone to be aware of the loss of units before he was ready to dive in. The last of the lot was the group around the hostages, far fewer than he’d thought there would be. The first one he took out alerted the group instantly. He took out the following four in a row of shots that hit their mark every time. It left no one there to keep the hostages. 

The group was quick to free themselves as Alec came down from his high spot and made his way over. One of the more well off women turned to him as he stepped out of the shadows with the sniper rifle slung to his back. The group gathered together for a moment before one of the others recognized him as one of the other tourists. Alec then found himself being accosted by that same woman.

“They took my daughter! She’s on their ship! Please, you need to hurry!” she said frantically. Alec turned around in a circle, looking for any sign of a space ship. He spotted one a short ways off, near the edge of the camp away from the gunships. He made his way toward it, his tactical cloak snapping up once more. There weren’t many Batarian’s left that he needed to hide from outside the ship. He was sure that the ship would be pulling out any moment as they realized they had lost most people on board.

He got there with just enough time to board the vessel before it took off. The Batarian’s inside were few and far between. Those that numbered inside went down quickly and quietly as he moved through the ship. The camera’s never saw him as he moved toward the cargo bay. 

The sounds of shuffling and crying caught his attention as he grew nearer. He hurried through the doorway, taking out the Batarian who stood over a small girl with his weapon pointed at her head. There were others in the room, all backed against the walls away from each other. 

No one here was dead. He sighed in relief before one of the others came over to him. 

“You’re not with them? Of course you aren’t, you just took him out,” the man gripped his own hair for a moment before he kept talking. “They’ve only been stuffing us in here, unless they took everyone. Then everyone’s in trouble and there’s more people and how are we going to get out of here!?” Alec said nothing as he looked to the rest of them before stepping out the door. The man followed him, still talking and quite loudly at that. Alec eyed him before shaking his head.

“The only way any of us are getting out of here is if people are quiet, I need to operate without letting the enemy know I’m here,” he said in reply and the man shut his mouth instantly. “Return to the others, and you’ll all be free to go momentarily.” He internally sighed in relief when the man left back to the room where everyone else was. His cloak went up again and he was heading through the ship once more toward the cockpit. There weren’t any other Batarians in the way so it was easy to get there. 

The ship rocked suddenly as he reached the door, and there was cursing from the other side. He heard muttered, then something about engine failure as the person on the other side tried to get someone to answer a radio. When no response came, the person came out the door, and was killed before he got further. 

Alec looked in the room, saw the red flashes that were showing the ship's failure. The view screen at the front was showing an imminent crash into the planet’s surface within the next three minutes. Alec sighed aloud this time before he was moving through the ship, wincing as he was thrown about as the dampners failed and the turbulence grabbed the old vessel. 

“HELP! PLEASE! WE’RE GOING TO DIE!” It was that man again, but he followed the voice and found the room with all the hostages once more. 

“We’ve got a very short time before the ship crashes. Everyone, gather close,” he said and some moved to do so while others were holding onto other items. “The only way I’m going to be able to keep you all alive is if you get over here,” he said as his biotics lit up. They moved then, gathering close to him as he erected a shield around them.

This was going to hurt.

* * *

 

Alec grunted as he opened his eyes, putting a hand to his head. There wasn’t any damage to his person that he could tell, but he had one hell of a headache. He looked around where ever he was and saw that it was one of the mobiles, the medical one at the research center if he remembered his quick trek of the area right. 

There were other people there, laid out on the cots with bandages over their heads or arms or legs. He turned his head toward the door as it slid open and found Brenda standing there. 

“Thought I wasn’t supposed to see you till the Citadel,” Alec said as he sat up, groaning as his head throbbed and the back of his neck ached. 

“You weren’t, at least if you’d showed up. When you didn’t, we came here and found you out cold,” Brenda stated as she walked into the room and checked on the machine monitoring his vitals. “Gary and I have been assisting with the clean up, and getting the lab back in working condition after the slavers. They took out quite a bit of equipment.”

“Not surprised,” he said as Brenda took off the monitors. “How long was I out?”

“Four days. You overtaxed your implant even if your biotics were alright. It shocked your brain and threw you for a loop. Gary modified a newer one that can handle your surges and won’t make you pass out.” Alec sighed and nodded. He doubted Brenda would ever be finished modifying everything until one of them was dead. “Oh, and we met Mesh by the way. He’s very protective of you. From what I hear, when the survivors - which was everyone thanks to you - pulled you out of the wreckage with them, he never left your side.”

Alec buried his head in his hands then. He’d been distracted and Mesh had been pushed out of his mind while he was working on saving the hostages. Now he’d need to think on what to do with the kid. 

“What am I going to do?” he muttered, running both hands over his face. “I don’t know how to raise a kid. Especially not a Krogan kid.”

“You taught a Krogan before, did you not?” she asked with a raised eyebrow, knowing it was true anyways. Alec gave her a look before sighing and shaking his head.

“That was the tank for the most part,” he replied and the woman shrugged. 

“A computer can only teach so much. It takes a person to teach interactions and emotions, tell them what they mean,” she said as she took off the last of the monitoring devices. Alec sighed again before nodding in reply. A moment later the door slid open and Mesh came in, rushing at Alec when he found him awake. It was the first time Alec had ever heard the Krogan call him Papa.

* * *

 

They buried Asakura in the Krogan ruins, in a place full of the history she’d been chasing since she’d found out she was dying. Mesh stood beside the grave for hours afterwards, talking to her as if she were still there and telling her what he was going to do. 

Alec stood back against the wall, looking out the entrance of the ruins as he listened. Gary and Brenda were nearby, enjoying the views that he’d shown them through the camera while they waited. 

“Well Mama. I gotta go, Papa’s waiting for me. Thank you for taking me with you instead of leaving me on Tuchanka, because now I’ve Papa. I’m not alone,” Mesh finished and hurried over to Alec, wrapping his arms around his new Papa’s legs. “Are we going now?”

“Yeah, we’re going,” Alec said as he stood away from the wall, Mesh releasing his legs and grabbing his Papa’s hand when it was offered. They walked over to Brenda and Gary who turned to them. 

“Well Alec, never thought you’d have a Krogan kid,” Gary said as he looked down at Mesh. “But I suppose he’s going to try and protect you as much we know you’re going to protect him, that’s all we can ask for after everything you’ve been through.” Alec shrugged in response, patting the kid on the head. 

“I don’t mind,” he said and Mesh smiled up at him.

“Of course you don’t. Having someone to protect is normal for you, my dear puppy,” Brenda stated with a grin. Again, Alec shrugged and Gary chuckled while Mesh merely held onto Alec’s hand. “We’ll help if you need it.”

“Thanks, I think I can figure it out.”

* * *

 

The four of them hopped the next available transport off Alanza, heading for the Citadel. IF it was a strange sight to the crew to see a human man carrying a Krogan child like he weighed nothing, no one made a comment. 

It didn’t take long for Mesh to be back to his chipper self. He’d known his mother had been dying, and he accepted that. There was nothing more he needed to mourn after saying his farewells - he was Krogan after all. The boy attached himself to Alec, and there was possibly no way to get rid of him.

“You think there’s going to be more like me?” Mesh asked Brenda who was seated on the child's other side. “Do you think Papa’s gonna find more? I don’t wanna be alone.”

“Oh there’s no doubt about it Mesh,” Brenda said and Alec dropped his head, closing his eyes and sighing. “It’s what your father does.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mesh got over that one quickly. But will the others? Sorry Alec, you've got kids whether you want them or not.
> 
> Word Count: 10436


End file.
